Electrical components are commonly used with circuit boards in the electronics industry to build various electrical devices and products. In order to build such devices and products, it is necessary to provide for the connection of various components to the circuit board and with other components. The components engaged to the circuit board enable many different types of interfaces between the board and the components, depending on the type of component that is to be engaged and the orientation of the component with respect to the circuit board.
The component to be engaged to the board may be of any type of component known to those in the industry. For example by way of illustration and not limitation, the component to be engaged to the circuit board may be an electrical card interface component engaged to a plurality of pins electrically connected to the board. Typically, the card interface component includes a pair of guide rails to maintain alignment of the card as it is inserted to connect with the pins to hold the card in place after insertion. A second type of electrical component is a cable interface component that allows a cable to be electrically engaged to the board. Another type of component typically engaged to a circuit board is an electrical connector. Connectors allow a first circuit board to be electrically connected to a second circuit board. Connectors also allow other electrical components to be electrically engaged to a circuit board in which the connector is engaged via the connector.
In general, connectors for circuit boards may be divided into two categories, through-hole and surface mount connectors. Both types of connectors typically include a conductive lead that is soldered to a conductive trace on the surface of the circuit board. For example, surface mount connectors may be engaged to a conductive trace on the surface of the circuit board by a tail portion of the contact that protrudes from the bottom of the connector body. The tail portion rests on a conductive pad on the surface of the board. The tail of the contact is soldered to the conductive pad using soldering techniques known in the industry.
One problem commonly associated with connectors and their connection to circuit boards is that the leads soldered to the board may break off and cause the connector to disengage from the circuit board. Another problem is that the solder joint of the surface mount connector must resist external forces applied to the connector, thus inducing additional stress into the electrical connection. This problem similarly exists with other electrical components that are engaged to the circuit board via solder connections to conductive traces on the board.
One technique known in the industry in an attempt to address the above-described problem has been to engage metal tabs to the connector body. The tabs are configured to extend through corresponding holes formed through the circuit board. In one form, the tabs include two halves that are spring loaded to come together during insertion, and to spring back to their original position once inserted. The insertion end of the tab includes a shoulder or collar that engages the bottom surface of the circuit board. This technique for engaging a component to a circuit board also suffers disadvantages. For example, the tab projects from the bottom surface of the board, and is thus subject to being broken if accidentally engaged. Also, the protrusion of the tab increases the height requirements between adjacent circuit boards. Additionally, the tabs are installed on the component after the body of the component is manufactured, thus requiring an additional step in the manufacturing process.
Another problem known in the industry is illustrated by referring to card interface components. Card interface components typically include guide rails that are mounted to the connector board. A first end of the guide rail interfaces with the pins that electrically engage the card. The pins extend through holes in the board and are soldered thereto, thus securely mounting the first end of the guide rail to the board. The second end of the guide rail, configured to receive the card as it is inserted, is not securely attached to the board. Thus, unless a tab is installed on the second end as described above, the second end of the guide rail is allowed to rotate about its first end when a force is applied to the second end by, for example, insertion of the card into the guide rails. This rotation may cause additional stress in the pins and their solder connection to the trace on the board.
It should be understood that the specific problems described above with respect to surface mount connectors and guide rails have been provided for illustration purposes only, and are not intended to be limiting. All electrical components that are mountable to a circuit board present problems similar to those described above in addition to other problems. Heretofore, the techniques and devices for engaging electrical components to circuit boards have not adequately addressed many of these problems. There is therefore a need in the art for an improved method and apparatus for engaging electrical components to a circuit board. The present invention is directed toward meeting these and other needs in a novel and unobvious way.